Finally There
by Elivira
Summary: I was born with the byakugan, so it was my duty to serve Konoha, and I wanted to. I wanted to gain my father's respect and to show him I was not the failure he thought I was I wanted to be strong like Naruto, I wanted to be brave like Neji-ni and most of all, I wanted to be able to protect my precious people. It may have been a naive notion but to want them to be happpy.


**Hey! Well since Hinata's birthday is today I thought I should post this now. I guess this is the second (the other one kinda of sucks) Naruto fanfic I have posted on this account and I will warn you -my wonderful readers- that it is very different than my normal writing style, still I really like it! **

_'Thoughts'_

"Talking"

When I was kidnapped by Kumogakure, and Neji-ni's father gave his life to save my father's, the clan and Konoha, the boy I had looked up to as my older cousin was gone; all that was left was a lost boy who hated the world around him. As I got older I learned that his hate for the main family was something born from both the branding of his forehead and the death of his father, but at the time all I knew was that my cousin hated me...for something I had no control over.

I was born with the byakugan, so it was my duty to serve Konoha, and I wanted to. I wanted to gain my father's respect and to show him I was not the failure he thought I was I wanted to be strong like Naruto, I wanted to be brave like Neji-ni and most of all, I wanted to be able to protect my precious people. It may have been a naive notion but I wanted them to be happy, and still do.

When I became a genin and was put on a team with Kiba-san, Shino-san and Kurenai-sensei I was slightly disappointed but understood that if I had been put with Naruto I would not have been able to help him in the way that Sakura-san and Uchiha-san could; at the time I was too weak...so I strove to be better to prove myself to my father, to Neji-ni and most of all, to Naruto.

When I faced Neji-ni in the chuunin exams I knew I would loose and when Naruto cheered for me I swore to be strong. Later as I watched Naruto fight Neji-ni I _knew_ that I was weak…so I vowed to get stronger, to _never_ give up.

When Uchiha-san left and Naruto went after him, I wanted to go, I wanted to help. Oh how I wanted to stand by his side, but again I was too weak... weak, oh how I hated that word, that damnable word. So I trained, and trained and trained some more. To be strong, to stand by his side.

He left with Jiraya-sama. I passed the chuunin exams. He trained. I trained. And, when he came back I was sure I was finally ready to fight along beside him. But still he was, like always, one step ahead of me. As I watched him leave to fight the Akatsuki over and over again I prayed to any of the gods that would listen for him to come back safe, and cried when I found out that the Akatsuki were targeting him for something he had no control over. I knew that feeling.

When we left to pursue the other Uchiha I was ecstatic to be by his side, but I the end I only found out how much he surpassed me; in power, in confidence and in love. I was _still_ weak.

When Naruto fought Pein I couldn't just sit by and watch as he was beaten. I couldn't win, but I would try. I finally told him I loved him. I think I died that day, murdered by the man that destroyed my village. Now I'm glad to know that my 'death' the last straw and Naruto was able to defeat Pein, and in the end save everyone...including me. I cried with joy when he returned to Konoha.

When the fourth shinobi world war started and Bee-san and Naruto where sent out to and train I silently wished them luck. And, as I fought monsters that would not die, I prayed to whatever deity listening that Naruto would stay out of the way, stay safe. But, as he and Bee-san disobeyed direct orders and charged to the front lines, I wished to stay by his side. The side of the boy that had given me courage.

Even when we faced the jyubi and my father and Neji-ni, who had hated him previously, vowed to stand by Naruto's side, I gladly joined them. I would die for him. This was my last chance...this time _I _would be the one protecting _him_.

When I jumped in front of Naruto and Neji-ni in turn jumped in front of me I knew that Neji-ni had forgiven me, and as I saw his milky white eyes turn dark brown as the Caged Bird Seal activated, I knew that I was someone worth saving. As my father looked at me for the first time as something other than a failure I knew that I, Hyuuga Hinata, daughter of the clan head was not weak. If Neji-ni thought I was worth saving then I would honor his memory by striving to become stronger, I knew that I had finally caught up to _him_.

He may have almost given up, but I am glad that _I, _the little failure, was able to bring him back…I never thought I would have to strike him.

I stand by Naruto's side, my father on the other, and the last words of my cousin repeat themselves in my head.

"Be safe Hinata-sama…be strong…You are the only one…who can save him; the child of prophecy…Uzumaki Naruto…don't let him give up…He can't save everybody…"

_'Don't worry Neji-ni, I'll be here, by his side, whether he knows it or not. Together we will save our village, Konohagakure no Sato; The Village Hidden in the Leaves!' _

**Oh gosh that was sad! I actually cried when Neji died, it was so depressing! I know that Neji did not actually say that in the manga but I thought it made it sound dramatic. Let's just pretend that he whispered that to Hinata right before he died!**

***Sobs in corner…***

**I didn't actually have a beta for this i just had my dad go over it for me. XD**

**Don't forget to comment!**

**Flames will be used to power my fires of youth!**


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